I’ve been wanting to try Cuculia, an adorable little restaurant located on the other side of the Arno River in Florence, since summer! My friend had tried it over the summer and absolutely loved it but I never got around to trying it. The other night, my friend Tatiana and I were thinking of where we could grab dinner and she suggested it since I hadn’t been. Cuculia’s funky eclectic atmosphere most definitely matches their menu which mostly consists of vegetarian and vegan dishes with a few fish and meat options.

We decided to order all vegetarian dishes and I have to say I didn’t miss the fish or meat at all!

Amuse Bouche: Potato and Pea Soup with Crunchy Vegetables (8/10).

Rice Rolls stuffed with Noodles and Vegetables with a Carrot Cream (7/10).

Burrata Cheese with Orange Zest, Eggplant Mash, and Datterini Tomatoes (8/10).

Tagliolini with Capers, Garlic, Fresh Chili, and Breadcrumbs (7/10).

Potato Gnocchi made with Quinoa Cereal Flour with Tomatoes, Olives, and Capers in a Celery Pesto (8.5/10).

All the dishes were vibrant, fresh, and very satisfying. First of all, the amuse bouche (a small taste of something given as a gift from the kitchen) was actually quite large; it could have easily been an appetizer! The potato and pea soup was creamy and rich without feeling heavy with chunks of different vegetables. Super yummy. The Burrata cheese was delicious (I mean how can you go wrong with Burrata cheese) with creamy luscious cheese paired with a sweet earthy eggplant mash and juicy datterini tomatoes topped with aromatic orange zest. So good. Lastly, the potato gnocchi made with quinoa cereal flour were light fluffy pillows tossed in a Mediterranean inspired sauce and a pesto made from celery (never would have thought of that but it worked)!

I really enjoyed Cuculia’s ambience and creative tasty food so my overall rating would be a 7.5-8/10 since it’s a nice change from typical Italian food.